| If you decide to vacation in Hawaii during the winter, | | | | different North Shore beaches. The first is at Haleiwa |
| you will be going when most people who visit Hawaii | | | | Beach; the second at Sunset Beach; and the final |
| beside you go. The peak travel season in Hawaii falls | | | | event at the world's best-known surf break, the |
| between the middle of December and the middle of | | | | Banzai Pipeline. The Banzai Pipeline is renowned for its |
| April, exactly when many other parts of the world | | | | "tubes," hollow spaces inside of the way which |
| are still experiencing cold weather and snow. Hawaii's | | | | resemble walking hallways. Surfing the tubes in the |
| sundrenched beaches and warm ocean breezes make | | | | Banzai Pipeline, however, places each surfer just |
| it irresistible to tourists at that time of year. | | | | inches above the razor-sharp coral reefs off Oahu, |
| | | | | and at risk of serious injury should they lose control |
| While winter is considered Hawaii's "rainy season," | | | | of their boards. |
| especially on the eastern and northern shores of the | | | | |
| islands, you can count on staying dry and warm along | | | | A far more sedate, but highly popular, tourist activity |
| Hawaii's western and southern coasts. But traveling | | | | during the Hawaiian winter is whale watching. The |
| to Hawaii during the winter means that you almost | | | | height of the whale watching season occurs between |
| certainly have to forgo discounted room rates, which | | | | January and May. The best place to glimpse |
| normally run between 10 and 15% higher during the | | | | humpbacks and other kinds of whales is off Maui's |
| winter months than they do during the summer. | | | | western coast. The fifth largest of all whale species, |
| | | | | humpback whales were nearly hunted to extinction, |
| Although the northern shores of Hawaiian Islands, | | | | and are now on the endangered species list. They |
| especially on the Big Island and Kauai, receive more | | | | can grow as long as 45 feet, and reach a weight of |
| rainfall during the winter than other parts of Hawaii, | | | | 45 tons. |
| the rainy season also brings with it some of the best | | | | |
| surfing conditions found anywhere in the world at | | | | The shallow waters of Ma’alaea Bay discourage |
| any season. Oahu's North Shore has long been | | | | shark attacks, making it a great nursery for whales |
| considered the best stretch of surf breaks anywhere | | | | and their new offspring. The whales are often visible |
| on earth, with its 6 mile stretch encompassing more | | | | right from the shore, but there is a thriving tour |
| than 20 major breaks. | | | | business for operators of whale-watching charters. |
| | | | | |
| The North Shore of Oahu is situated so that huge | | | | Hawaii has much to offer away from the coasts as |
| swells generated by Northern Pacific storms | | | | well. If you love to bike do not miss the chance to |
| thousands of miles away keep building until they | | | | coast along the looping Haleakala Highway. |
| reach the reefs just off Oahu, North Shore. These | | | | Remember those fallen at Pearl Harbor during World |
| surfing conditions are so spectacular that Oahu is | | | | War II. Scale the crater at Diamond Head. Arrange |
| now become the site of the Vans Triple Crown of | | | | for a pig roast, and learned to hula. Regardless of |
| Surfing. | | | | why you decide to go to Hawaii, you will find more |
| | | | | reasons to be there than you can ever imagine. |
| The Triple Crown surfing events are held at three | | | | |